This invention relates to a rear wheel steering device for motorcycles and more particularly to an improved and simplified arrangement for steering both the front and rear wheels of a vehicle such as a motorcycle and for driving and suspending the rear wheel.
Most vehicles intended for use on public roads for transportation are designed so that they include one or more steered front wheels and one or more non-steered rear wheels. Motorcycles are typical examples of this type of vehicle wherein there is a steered front wheel and a non-steered driven rear wheel. Although such an arrangement offers the advantage of simplicity, it does not necessarily offer the best handling when rounding curves or changing directions. That is, when turning, the front wheels is steered into the direction of the turn but the rear wheel is still pointed in a direction tending to go straight ahead. This can cause difficulties in handling.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved steering arrangement for vehicles wherein both the front and rear wheels are steered.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a steering mechanism for vehicles that will improve their handling.
In connection with the application of the rear wheel steering principle to a vehicle wherein the rear wheel is additionally driven, certain problems present themself. If the driving mechanism for the rear wheel is positioned at one side of the wheel, as it is in most applications and particularly in motorcycles where the wheel is driven at one side by either a chain or a drive shaft, it is desirable to insure that the linkage system for steering the rear wheel does not interfere with the mechanism for driving the rear wheel. That is, it should be insured that the steering and driving mechanisms do not interfere with or damage each other.
It is, therefore, a still further object of this invention to provide an improved method for steering and driving a rear wheel of a vehicle.
It is another object of this invention to provide a rear wheel steering and driving mechanism wherein the steering and driving mechanisms do not interfere with each other.
In connection with many of the arrangements proposed for steering the rear wheels of a motorcycle, the rear wheel is suspended by a so-called "cantilevered type" trailing arm assembly for suspension movement. If such a cantilevered suspension arm is employed, there is the possibility that the rear wheel may be subjected to forces that might to tend it to cause it to steer. Furthermore, such arrangements may not offer the same strength in some applications as a twin trailing arm arrangement wherein the rear wheel is suspended by an arm that extends on each side of it.
It is, therefore, a still further object of this invention to provide an improved method for suspending driving and steering the rear wheel of a motorcycle.